When you become a student of architecture, you don’t just learn how to design buildings. The skills needed in the field of architecture are many and varied, and five years is only enough to begin scratching the surface. College teaches you not just design and construction, but other valuable skills like presentation, communication, leadership and many more. Let us now take a look at four things that I have learned from my time as a student of architecture.
1. Theory Is Important
We have all done it at least once in our college life – ignoring theory subjects because most of our focus and time is spent on design and studio classes. Now admittedly, designing can be very time consuming with various stages like concepts, case studies, site analysis, zoning, drafting, presentations etc. When we are running out of time, it may be pretty tempting to slack off on theory subjects. But this is a big mistake. What we must understand is that we will be able to design properly, only if we have a firm foundation of theory.
That unique projecting roof that you wanted for your residence project – you can only design it if you know the various techniques and materials required. That cantilever floor for your school design project – you will only know if it is possible if you can work out the calculations. Each and every step of the design process is aided by knowledge from various fields – structures, buildings materials and construction, plumbing, electrical etc. Neglecting to study them will be like neglecting to lay a foundation for your house – it will collapse because it lacks a strong base!
2. Don’t Rush, And Don’t Slack
Everyone has their own pace. Some people can work for hours on end, while some can barely work for an hour before they get tired. These tendencies are often a part of our character, but we can feel as if they are counterproductive to our life. You may feel as if you are not able to concentrate for a long time and hence can’t get stuff done, or you may feel like you are constantly overworking yourself. Forcefully trying to change your preferences like this might end up causing more harm than good (unless you are procrastinating, in which case there is no excuse. Just get up and get to work.)
You can not change the nature of your work. What you can do however, is change its flow. Adapt your work according to the pace you are most comfortable in. If you like working long hours, then sit down and complete your work in one go so that you can wind down and relax afterwards. On the other hand, if you prefer working for shorter periods, divide your work into parts and do one part each hour or so, while taking breaks in between. Working this way according to your mind’s pace, can prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. Working this way can enable your body to work with you, instead of against.
3. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
As they say – failures are nothing but stepping stones to success. As a student, it is only natural for us to make mistakes. It is through these mistakes that we learn, that we improve and better ourselves. As architecture students with busy schedules, we can often feel this need to be perfect. Wonderful ideas and beautiful presentation sheets are common aspirations, but they won’t be possible without a few hiccups along the way. And this is ok.
There is no need to pull ourselves down over our mistakes and get dejected. Instead, we should take a close look at what happened.
What went wrong?
Where did I make a mistake?
What did I assume incorrectly?
Why did it happen?
Ask yourself these questions and try to answer them. It is from these answers that you will get your lessons. Every time you realise your mistake, take a minute to introspect and try to make a sticky note of it in your mind. The next time you find yourself in a similar situation, remember this note and avoid those mistakes.
4. Let The World Be Your Teacher
Architecture often involves great meaningful ideas and concepts that are not only aesthetic, but are based on socio-cultural and economic factors in society. Ideas require inspiration and sometimes we might find ourselves without any whatsoever. It is common for students to hit a roadblock and not be able to move forward with their design. This leaves us frustrated and we might even wonder whether we have what it takes to be an architect.
Creative blocks happen to everyone. The best way to overcome them is to open ourselves up to the world. Inspiration can come not just from books and software, but also from nature and the world around us. Just observing the various intricacies and complexities of the world can provide us with more than enough ideas. The Ancient Indians, Egyptians and Greeks studied nature and learned about all kinds of mathematical and scientific concepts which they used in every aspect of their lives. These concepts are still used to this day.
If it a problem that affects society as a whole, looking at the way our societies function can give us the perspective necessary to come up with an appropriate solution. If the issue arises because of a group of people, then interacting with them can be the key to the solution. If it a particular design problem, visiting buildings which have tackled similar issues can help. In short, let the world into your mind and unclog it.
These are just a few of the many lessons that I have gleaned from my time as an architecture student. Now, I encourage you all to look into your life as well. What did you learn? What did your experiences show you? What did the world show you?
